A number of lifestyle classifications have been proposed by market researchers, including the following:

'AIO (Activities, Interests, Opinions)'. This approach seeks, via long questionnaires (such as those proposed by Joseph T. Plummer), to measure respondents' positions on a number of dimensions spread across these categories (as well as the more usual demographic groupings). Based on their responses, they are then allocated (using sophisticated computer analysis techniques) to the AIO (life-style) groups.

'VALS (VAlue Life-Styles)'. Arnold Mitchell (of SRI International) developed similar groupings. He drew up four main categories subdivided into nine life-styles, again based on long questionnaires:

• need-driven groups: "survivors" and "sustainers"
• outer-directed groups: "belongers", "emulators" and "achievers"
• inner-directed groups: "I-am-me", "experientials" and "societally conscious"
• combined outer-and inner-directed groups: "integrated"

According to this framework, the outer-directed groups, `belongers' (conventional, conservative and so on), `emulators' (ambitious, upwardly mobile and so on) and `achievers' (leaders who make things happen and so on) account for two-thirds of the US population. Thus the 'Times ' newspaper, to take a UK example, might expect to target `achievers', and possibly to address a larger total market segment than the 'Guardian ', which might be looking to the `societally conscious' for its most ardent supporters. Less widely reported is that the VALS typology also suggests that there is a possible progression within the life-styles --from `survivors' through to `integrated'.

Lifestyles can apparently even be used by a range of non-profit organizations. One Wisconsin blood centre reportedly turned a deficit of 7000 donors into a surplus of 7000, by concentrating its attentions on people who were affluent, busy and had close-knit families.